Angie Martinez

Angela "Angie" Martinez, born on January 9, 1971 in Brooklyn, New York, rose from a modest upbringing by a single mother of Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican descent to become one of the most recognizable voices in urban radio. Known as "The Voice of New York", she began her broadcasting career at the tender age of fifteen, answering hotlines for Hot 97 (WQHT) and quickly catching the eye of legendary DJ Funkmaster Flex, who mentored her through the 1990s and early 2000s. Over a 28‑year tenure at Hot 97, Martinez helmed the coveted Afternoon Drive slot, interviewing icons such as Jay‑Z, DMX, and Mariah Carey, while also navigating high‑profile rivalries with colleagues like Wendy Williams. In 2014 she made a seismic move to Power 105.1, later signing a management deal with Jay‑Z’s Roc Nation, and earning the NAB Marconi Radio Award for Major Market Personality of the Year in 2018 and induction into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2020. Beyond radio, Martinez made a notable impact in hip‑hop as a rapper; after a feature on Lil Kim’s "Not Tonight" remix catapulted her to fame, she released two albums—Up Close and Personal (2001) and Animal House (2002)—which showcased collaborations with Jay‑Z, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and the Neptunes, and produced hits like “If I Could Go” that dominated urban airwaves in 2002. After retiring from music in 2003, she diversified into acting with cameo roles in films such as Brown Sugar and State Property 2, lent her voice to the video game Project Gotham Racing, and ventured into publishing with her memoir My Voice: A Memoir (2016). In the digital era she launched the IRL podcast on iHeartRadio, Apple Music, and YouTube, interviewing cultural titans from Kim Kardashian to Janelle Monáe, while also producing the ABC special Soul of a Nation: Hip Hop at 50 in 2023, cementing her legacy as a multifaceted media pioneer.